APUSH Chapter 2
Chapter 2 *English soldiers developed contempt for "natives" during their occupation of Ireland, an attitude they brought to America *Conflict between England and Spain: religious differences, English pirating Spaish ships *Spanish Armada failed, marking decline of Spanish and rise of England as dominant naval force *English attitude of nationalism, national destiny, thirst for adventure, and curiosity of unknown set the scene for colonization *Peace with Spain gave opportunity, overpopulation gave workers, unemployment/thirst for adventure/new markets/religious freedom gave motives, joint-stock companies gave capital; all for colonization *Virginia Company of London recieved charter for settlement of America, but was only allowed to last a few years; also guaranteed the settlers the same rights as English citizens at home *Earliest settlements at Jamestown failed as the men were more concerned with finding gold than gathering provisions; later leader John Smith tried to get men to work and was able to establish relations with Native Americans through Pocohontas, but the colonists still starved *New governor Lord De La Warr imposed military rule and aggressive action against Indians, while disease ravaged the survivors *Powhatan's Confederacy was a loose affiliation of various tribes led by Powhatan; he tried to keep peace with the English but their raids of food and De La Warr's attacks spurred the First Anglo-Powhatan War, which concluded with John Rolfe's marriage to Pocahontas *Peace was not kept, and a Second Anglo-Powhatan War occurred where the English were victorious and banished the Indians from their lands *Powhatans lost due to disease (European diseases they had no resistance to), disorganization (lacked unity to organize into a functioning military) and dispoability (they offered no value to the colonists) *Changes in Native American life due to colonization included: introduction of horses led to movement to plains, disease robbed natives of elders and their associated traditions, migrations led to combinations of various Indian groups, desire for skins/pelts to trade for firearms led to violence as tribes fought over hunting grounds *Inland Indians had large population and strength, so the few traders who reached them had to conform to their ways, creating an integrated inland setting *Rolfe perfected the farming of tobacco, which became the building block of Virginia's economy *Tobacco planting created demand for large plantation system and fresh labor, which led to the first purchase of African slaves *House of Burgesses: first representative self-government, established a parliamentary precedent; James I became suspicious of Virginians, revoked the charter, and took control of the colony *Maryland: 2nd colony, founded by Lord Baltimore for both financial gain and freedom for Catholics; similar to Virginia with tobacco economy, will to acquire land, and use of indentured servants/slaves; tension between Protestant peasants and wealthier Catholics led to Act of Toleration which gave toleration to all Christians but death penalty to everyone else *English took over the West Indies from Spain and took advantage of the sugar-based economy *Sugar required a large capital investment and extensive labor to make sure enough could be sold to make a profit; thus, slave labor became a critical part of West Indies trade *Authorities created slave "codes" to define slaves' legal status and the masters' roles; Barbados slave code denied fundamental rights to slaves and gave complete control to masters *Smaller sugar farmers who were pushed out by the wealthy moved to Carolina, where they brought a few slaves and a modified Barbados slave code; slave trade flourished, and Carolinans even enlisted Native Americans to capture inland Indians to sent to the West Indies *Rice emerged as principle crop of Carolina, and due to Africans' experience with cultivating grass, slave trade became even more prominent *King Charles II appointed his court favorites, the Lord Proprietors, control over an expanse of land in America to provide food for the West Indies and non-English exports *North Carolina emerged as poor outcasts from Virginia started small tobacco farms; considered one of the most democratic and least aristocratic colonies due to originis of the inhabitants *North Carolina, like its southern neighbor, had bloody relations with the Native Americans, and contributed to the near elimination of all coastal Indians *Georgia founded as a buffer for Carolinas from the Spaniards in Florida and the French in Louisiana; recieved government subsidies to fund defense *Georgia was launched by philanthropists who hoped to protect its northern neighbors, create a haven for those trapped in debt, and keep out slavery; Christians other than Catholics were allowed; plantation economy couldn't develop due to poor climate, limits on slavery, and Spanish attacks *Similarities between plantation colonies: dedicated to exporting agricultural products; slavery in every one (Georgia being the last in 1750); the rich holding most of the land created aristocratic atmosphere (except North Carolina and Geogia); spread of plantations of farms limited growth of cities and establishments of churches and schools; some form of religious toleration; and all had an urge to expand westward due to rivers inviting exploration inward